Care of the dying cancer patient in the emergency department: Findings from a National survey of Australian emergency department clinicians

Abstract

Background: Patients with cancer are presenting to emergency departments (ED) for end-of-life care with increasing frequency. Little is known about this experience for patients and ED clinicians in Australia. Aims: To assess the barriers and enablers regarding end-of-life care for cancer patients as perceived by Australian ED clinicians. Methods: There were 4501 Australian ED clinicians invited through their professional colleges to complete an online survey, using multiple-choice and free-text responses. Results: A total of 681 ED clinicians responded, most (84.2%) felt comfortable providing care to the dying and found it to be rewarding (70.9%). Although 83.8% found caring for the dying a ..